Spurs at Suns 1/29

[FArting]

The San Antonio Spurs have dealt the Phoenix Suns some tough losses in recent years, eliminating them from the playoffs three of the last four seasons.

The Suns hoped their acquisition of Shaquille O'Neal midway through last season would be the solution, and while it didn't work last spring, the rejuvenated star is playing some of his best basketball in years as the Suns and Spurs head into Thursday night's meeting in Phoenix.San Antonio ousted Phoenix from the playoffs in the conference finals in 2005 and the conference semifinals in 2007.

The Suns traded for O'Neal at last season's deadline to help prevent another early exit from the postseason with a new commitment to defense. But the fast-paced team struggled to adjust to the 7-foot-1, 325-pounder's presence in the middle and won just once in their best-of-seven, first-round series against the Spurs.O'Neal, though, appears to have settled into his current role with the Suns (25-18) under first-year coach Terry Porter. After averaging 12.9 points with the team last season, he's scoring 18.2 per game in 2008-09, including 22.1 over his last 18 games.

O'Neal had 29 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots while going 10-for-14 from the field in a 103-87 win over Washington on Monday night.The Suns outscored the Wizards by 25 points when O'Neal was in the game to finish their road trip with back-to-back wins after dropping five of their previous six overall."I feel like I can play three or four more years," said O'Neal, who was whistled for a technical foul for hanging on the rim on a dunk in the first half.

"I've got a new medical staff that does stuff that I haven't really had before. I'm moving left, I'm moving right, I'm running, I'm jumping, I'm dunking, I'm getting up and hanging on the rim and getting techs, and I haven't felt this good in about two years."That doesn't bode well for the Spurs (30-14), who have given up 19.0 points and 12.5 rebounds per game to O'Neal in the teams' first two meetings this season.San Antonio fell at home to Phoenix 103-98 in its season opener Oct. 29 before taking a 91-90 road victory over the Suns on Roger Mason's buzzer-beating 3-pointer on Christmas.

The Southwest Division-leading Spurs have won five of their last six overall. Manu Ginobili scored 10 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter and made all eight of his foul shots in the period to help San Antonio hold off Utah 106-100 on Tuesday night."Manu is an important part of us winning basketball games," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He was aggressive and got to go to the line."Despite his clutch play Tuesday, Ginobili has been held to 10.0 points per game and 8-for-24 shooting from the field over his last three contests.O'Neal, meanwhile, has pulled within five points of catching Hakeem Olajuwon for seventh place on the NBA's all-time scoring list."For me as a young, former juvenile delinquent who can't shoot free throws, who can't shoot jumpers, it's a pretty big accomplishment," O'Neal said.O'Neal, a career 52.7 percent free-throw shooter, may poke fun at himself for his shortcomings at the line, but he made nine of his 10 attempts Monday and is shooting a career-high 62.8 percent.

That could might make Popovich reconsider his strategy of fouling O'Neal away from the ball to send the big man to the line, a tactic he used extensively in last year's playoffs. During the preseason, O'Neal called it "a coward move."O'Neal has made 14 of his 24 free-throw attempts (58.3 percent) against San Antonio this season.

http://espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=290129021

 

[Covert Rain]

Man, I hope this is a good game. I would love to see O'Neal go 12 for 12 at the FT line tonight or something. Honestly, POP and his hack a Shaq can go to hell.

 

[Roca Dolla]

the only thing i know is that barbosa will not score more than 10 points lol


GO SUNS!

 

[PoolBoy]

this is a big game. we need prove we can beat a team that doesn't suck

 

[nashman]

This is a big game to see how this team can play against legit competition. It is at home I would expect to see a Suns win but uncomfortably close similar to the Christmas day game that was a heartbreaker. Suns win by 5! Barbosa will actually have a decent game as well 18-20 points!

 

[Suns_fan69]

I don't know if you can call a game a 'must-win' in January but this as close to it as you can get. A win would do wonders for team morale and confidence. It's the first game home from a sub-par road trip and against a team thats had their number for years. As always, this game will mean far more for the suns than it does the spurs though.

 

[elindholm]

Spurs 105
Suns 84

 

[nashman]

^ Seriously? You think the Suns will get blown out at home....whatever!

 

[Skumbag]

Amare : 8pts 3 boards
Nash : 7 turnovers
O'Neal : Man of the hour

Result : Suns lose by 11

 

[Goran Stoudemire]

Amare : 8pts 3 boards
Nash : 7 turnovers
O'Neal : Man of the hour

Result : Suns lose by 11

Sounds about right. Shaq with about 24/11/4 blocks and good defense on Duncan while Bonner goes for 18/9 against Amare.

 

[Covert Rain]

I don't know if you can call a game a 'must-win' in January but this as close to it as you can get. A win would do wonders for team morale and confidence. It's the first game home from a sub-par road trip and against a team thats had their number for years. As always, this game will mean far more for the suns than it does the spurs though.

Actually you can call every game a must win at this juncture. When the Playoff race is so close and only a couple wins or losses can push you in our out of the top 8.....almost every game becomes a must win.

Now factor in with tight races you need the head to heads in case of a tie (which is likely with all the teams a game or 2 apart)....I would say this is must win territory.

 

[nashman]

Some need to have a little faith this team can still come together and play well its not quite time to blow it up or just assume we are going to lose games like this!

 

[Skumbag]

...okay Andrew.

 

[mojorizen7]

I don't know if you can call a game a 'must-win' in January but this as close to it as you can get. A win would do wonders for team morale and confidence. It's the first game home from a sub-par road trip and against a team thats had their number for years. As always, this game will mean far more for the suns than it does the spurs though.

Spot on
+1

 

[jagu]

Amare folds up like origami. Nash with 6 TO's and Parker with 33 points. Shaq fouls out and we all complain about the refs. Suns lose by 19.

Prove me wrong.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Suns go up big in the first half, spurs chip away at it getting with 5 at the half... spurs take a small lead in the 3rd quarter, teams go back and forth until the end of the game and either the spurs miss or make a wide open shot or layup to win or lose the game. it's out of the suns hands as it always is against the spurs.

 

[mojorizen7]

All i know is that the visiting teams rims are already primed for soft,lucky bounces.......
and their nets are lined with magic US AIR Arena N.B.T.B.O.T.N. dust.
SPURS 109
SUNS 104
OT

 

[Chaplin]

Suns go up big in the first half, spurs chip away at it getting with 5 at the half... spurs take a small lead in the 3rd quarter, teams go back and forth until the end of the game and either the spurs miss or make a wide open shot or layup to win or lose the game. it's out of the suns hands as it always is against the spurs.

That's a pretty good assessment and I wouldn't be surprised in the least if it all happened that way.

 

[Cheesebeef]

That's a pretty good assessment and I wouldn't be surprised in the least if it all happened that way.

seems to happen in every spurs game. I mean, even up 14, is anyone EVER comfortable watching these games? it's like they're predetermined by god or something.

 

[S_Nash]

I wouldn't bat an eyelid if Bill Murray pulled on a jersey for a 10 second cameo and delivered the game winning assist.

After game 1 in last years series, anything's possible.

 

[AfroSuns]

A win would be nice especially with how the west is right now, but this is the Spurs, we pretty much owned them last regular season, the playoff was a totally different story.

Suns - 103
Spurms - 97


GO SUNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mjb21aztd]

Lets go suns beat the spurs tonight i'm expecting a high scoring game tonight and the spurs pull out a close one hope i'm wrong though

Spurs 113

Suns 111

parker hits a winiing jumper with 3 sec left

 

[zod]

Just don't lose on a buzzer beater.

 

[tobiazz]

seems to happen in every spurs game. I mean, even up 14, is anyone EVER comfortable watching these games? it's like they're predetermined by god or something.

Surely, you meant the Devil.

 

[sLapzsHaQ]

I see another buzzer beater, George Hill hitting it this time, from beyond half-court...